Josh Smith's agent spoke with Hawks general manager Danny Ferry Wednesday to discuss what he characterized as "a lot of frustration" with the team's recent spiral, but stopped short of making a trade request.
"As far as moving forward and whatever changes will be made, that's more so management's job to field those calls and make the decisions they feel like are best to move forward," Smith's agent, Wallace Prather, told CBSSports.com.
While Prather made it clear that Smith is concerned about how the once-hot Hawks have rolled over in losing six of their last seven games and seven out of nine, neither he nor his client has asked for a trade. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, and barring an unlikely departure from Los Angeles for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, would be among the top players on the unrestricted market.
"I do know there are teams interested," Prather said.
Multiple rival executives confirmed that the Hawks have participated in trade conversations with several teams regarding Smith, a 27-year-old game-changing defender when engaged.
The Hawks hit rock bottom in their recent swoon Monday night with an embarrassing 97-58 loss to the Bulls in which they managed to score only five points in the second quarter. Afterward, coach Larry Drew promised changes, and said, "It's time that we do shake things up."
Drew may have unwittingly inferred that the changes could involve more than a tweak to the starting lineup or rotation.
The Hawks face a dilemma with Smith, whose love-hate relationship with playing his entire NBA career thus far in his hometown of Atlanta will be put to the ultimate test if the Hawks continue to struggle. Smith's $13.2 million falls off the Hawks' books after the season, into an already massive abyss of cap space that the team has cleared to revamp the roster after trading high-priced All-Star Joe Johnson to the Nets.
Teams with such room and flexibility -- including the likes of the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Bucks and Jazz -- are beginning to examine the potential free-agent options and reconsider their strategies. Unless Ferry were able to land either Paul or Howard this summer -- a long shot in both cases, even though Howard, too, is from Atlanta -- someone in his position might decide it's best to parlay assets into players now.
Among the teams that would appeal to Smith are Dallas, Houston and Memphis, a league source told CBSSports.com. The Grizzlies, in the midst of establishing the value of Rudy Gay on the trade market in the face of massive luxury tax bills on the horizon, are not among the teams that have spoken with the Hawks about Smith, one of the sources said. Despite owner Mark Cuban's comment this week that "the bank of Cuban is open," the Mavs also have not yet expressed interest in trading for Smith, another source said.
Rockets GM Daryl Morey said on Twitter this week that Houston would be "likely more stable than in the past" as the Feb. 21 trade deadline approaches.
The Hawks have more than enough cap room to re-sign Smith and add pieces around him. If they let him walk as a free agent, Atlanta would have a league-high $36 million in cap room. But what would they spend it on? Re-signing a 27-year-old borderline All-Star to a max deal might wind up being Ferry's best move, provided that he can sell Smith on a vision for the future and how the team will use the remaining flexibility to get better.
"I want to be clear that I'm not pushing a trade," Prather said. "This is not a trade request or anything, but there are frustrations in Atlanta."
How widespread the Josh Smith-a-palooza becomes will depend on whether Ferry's plan is to improve the team in the short term or build it back up over a longer period. And it will depend on what a contending team -- one that has a chance to re-sign Smith this summer -- will be willing to give up.

This guy will never amount to anything. Whenever his coach tries to exercise his authority and, you know, coach, he pouts in the worst way. Then his coach relents and he goes back to taking three pointers and playing Rucker ball and he's happy. I've posted on this forum in numerous game threads while his team lost because he airballed a three or a two with his foot on the line. He doesn't have a brain and he never will.

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Quote:

Jeremy Tyler was in Portland for a pre-draft workout on Thursday and was asked about Blazers coach Nate McMillan. “Nate McMillan,” he said. “No … What college is that?”

Kinda hoping this dominoes and Josh continues to fall out of favor with Ferry. They're best chance at sucking into a good lottery pick is to let Josh walk in the summer, or at least, trade him for assets that don't have long contracts.

Atlanta should aspire to be Bobcats/Wizards bad, while hopefully, doing a better job of getting complimentary pieces.

Gasol, Clark and Petro to Wolves
Williams, Pekovic to Atlanta
Smith and Kirilenko to LA

LA gets Smith to play the 4 and improve our weak defense while taking on AK who can start at the 3 or improve the bench.

Minnesota gets Pau to run Adelman's offense and hold the fort while Love is out. Clark can start for them at SF and Petro for cheap big man depth. And they don't get stuck overpaying Pekovic max money this summer. Rubio stays happy because he can be Spanish with Pau.

Atlanta finally gets the center they've coveted in Pekovic allowing Horford to slide to his natural 4 spot while ridding themselves of Smith and his issues. They also get a young player in Williams who can start at the 3 moving Korver to the bench.

Gasol, Clark and Petro to Wolves
Williams, Pekovic to Atlanta
Smith and Kirilenko to LA

LA gets Smith to play the 4 and improve our weak defense while taking on AK who can start at the 3 or improve the bench.

Minnesota gets Pau to run Adelman's offense and hold the fort while Love is out. Clark can start for them at SF and Petro for cheap big man depth. And they don't get stuck overpaying Pekovic max money this summer. Rubio stays happy because he can be Spanish with Pau.

Atlanta finally gets the center they've coveted in Pekovic allowing Horford to slide to his natural 4 spot while ridding themselves of Smith and his issues. They also get a young player in Williams who can start at the 3 moving Korver to the bench.

the fact that I love this deal for the lakers suggests that someone must be getting screwed somewhere

emergence as what? his inside game is more highly assisted in terms of % of shots than Deandre Jordan's, given that his efficiency is blah and his rebounding is pedestrian especially on the defensive end

emergence as what? his inside game is more highly assisted in terms of % of shots than Deandre Jordan's, given that his efficiency is blah and his rebounding is pedestrian especially on the defensive end

Emergence as a viable starting center. Pau's in his thirties, having the worst season of his career, and is obscenely expensive. We're not talking about Pekovic being a deal-killer for Durant or anything. Why is Minnesota going to give up its best trade chip and starting center for a guy who's only going to get worse while they're trying to convince Kevin Love that the franchise is trending up? So Ricky Rubio has someone to be Spanish with?

Could see Dallas putting together a package for him. Not sure what they would deal though. If it's a straight salary dump for Atlanta could be:

Josh Smith

for

Chris Kaman
Roddy Beaubois

Dallas:

Darren Collison
OJ Mayo
Josh Smith
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandan Wright

Atlanta:

Jeff Teague
Louis Williams
Kyle Korver
Al Horford
Chris Kaman

I wouldn't mind the Mavericks making a move for Smith, however, his contract is expiring so I can't see Atlanta doing a salary dump move, which is probably the only move Dallas could accomodate. It'd only work if there was a third team trying to move a matching contract Atlanta was willing to take on.